Heat
by Zivacentric
Summary: Special Agent Jenny Shepard heads to Israel for a joint NCIS-Mossad mission. What – or rather who – she finds there will change her life forever. Femmeslash. Setting is prior to NCIS show. After you read this, go read molly2012's sequel to it, "Closing the Distance." It's terrific!
1. Hints of Heat

_A/N: This was written for olivia_j for the NCIS ficathon exchange and is a slightly different take on how Ziva and Jenny met and the development of their relationship from there. Per canon, Cairo is mentioned, but I have changed things up a bit. The bulk of the relationship aspect of this story actually takes place in Israel, before and after the Cairo op. We do not know a lot about Ziva and Jenny's time together in Cairo from the show (other than Ziva saved her life there), but for purposes of this fic, I have decided that they met while assigned to work together on a joint Mossad-NCIS mission that takes place in Cairo. There will be two more chapters after this and the next chapter will take the rating up to M._

_Special thanks to gosgirl, bamacrush and IronIsraeliButterfly for their input and enthusiastic encouragement. =)_

_And last, but certainly not least, this posting is dedicated to MollyGibbs101 and kaelleigh who have been rooting - and waiting - for this story to be written for a very long time. I hope you find it worth the wait, my friends._

_Disclaimer: I own nothing related to NCIS or CBS, but wouldn't mind if I did - not one little bit. Original characters are all mine._

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><p><em>Three weeks ago…<em>

NCIS Special Agent Jennifer Shepard arrived in Tel Aviv, Israel on what may have been the hottest day of the year. Her El-Al flight into Ben Gurion International Airport had been long, but uneventful. Fortunately, most of her hours in the air had been spent overnight from the standpoint of the time zone from which she had come and she had long ago perfected the art of getting some sleep on planes. To aid in that, she had spent her own money to upgrade herself to first class. After all, the money she had been left by her parents was mostly just sitting in a bank except to keep up the townhouse in D.C. that she had also inherited, so why not be comfortable on the long flight? Besides, she had a feeling she wouldn't be getting much sleep over the next couple of weeks.

She had been working with the counterterrorism arm of NCIS for several months now, but this was the first time she was going to be part of a joint operation between her agency and Mossad, the intelligence agency for the state of Israel. Mossad had learned that Hezbollah had developed a sympathetic contact in the U.S. Navy and that an attack in Mediterranean waters on that branch of the American military was being planned.

Operation Bright Star, the biennial joint military exercise between the United States and Egypt, was set to occur soon. That would seemingly provide an opportune time for an exchange of information between Hezbollah and their contact – and for an attempt to flush out the American traitor. The intel collected so far had narrowed the likely contact to a particular ship, but not to a specific person.

It was early afternoon in Israel. Jenny walked through the enclosed hallway leading from the plane and began looking for the Mossad contact she had been assured would meet her. Supposedly that person had been given a picture of her, but the same courtesy had not been extended to the NCIS agent.

Very bright sunlight shone through the windows hinting at the intense heat outside as her eyes scanned the crowd looking for someone who might be on the lookout for her. Suddenly, her gaze was arrested by the sight of a striking woman with long curls that reminded her of rich, dark chocolate. The woman was wearing slim black pants, a smooth white shirt and a short black jacket with a Mandarin collar. Dark aviator sunglasses prevented Jenny from seeing her eyes, but something about the woman caused a zing of awareness to sizzle through Jen's body, as though it somehow recognized the dark-haired beauty.

The woman appeared younger than Jenny, but she had presence – boy, did she have presence. Something about her commanded respect, though there was nothing outwardly obvious advertising why that would be the case.

The subject of her gaze slowly removed her dark glasses and Jenny Shepard's world was reduced to a pair of fathomless whiskey-brown eyes that appeared to see right into her innermost thoughts and dreams. Even the purpose of her trip receded to the far edges of her consciousness as all she could do for a moment was stare back at the woman who had captured her with only her eyes.

There was obvious appreciation in those brown eyes as the other woman took in Jenny's long red hair, trim hourglass figure and lovely features.

A small knowing smirk kicked up the corner of the woman's lips, which brought Jenny out of her stupor. She looked around self-consciously to see if anyone had noticed that she was standing stock-still in the middle of an airport lounge, practically with her mouth hanging open. To her relief, no one else seemed to have noticed her. When she looked back to where the woman had been standing, she felt an inexplicable sense of loss to discover that she was gone.

_Get a grip, Shepard_ she mentally shook herself. _You are here on business – serious business – and you need to keep your head in the game and not on a beautiful woman ... _not even one that somehow seemed to speak to her soul without saying a word. Jenny scoffed at herself. She did not typically even think like that. Experience had led her to the opinion that relationships did not mix with her current position, nor with her future aspirations within the agency. This was no time to start thinking differently.

Taking herself in hand, Jen began looking around again for her contact. She never heard anyone come up behind her, but she froze as a sultry, attractively accented voice spoke near her ear.

"You are Jennifer Shepard, yes?"

Before she even turned around, Jenny instinctively knew that voice belonged to the woman with whom she'd been fascinated just seconds ago.

Slowly the red-head turned around and looked into those brown eyes once again. They were even more intoxicating at this distance. The close proximity of their bodies made it difficult for her to breathe and she unconsciously took a small step backwards so that she could manage to reply in the affirmative.

That knowing smile appeared again on the Israeli's attractive pink lips, but it was not unkind in the least. She held out a hand, which Jenny automatically took. If they held onto each other for a few seconds longer than strictly necessary for the introductory shake, no one seemed to notice.

"Ziva David," the dark-haired woman revealed succinctly.

Nothing about her revealed that this was her Mossad contact, but the NCIS agent could only assume that no one else in the busy airport had any reason to know who she was. Still, she used the story she'd been given to confirm that this was indeed her contact, wondering in a far corner of her mind if she could possibly be that lucky.

With a friendly curve to her lips, she offered, "Please, call me Jenny. I really appreciate the tour company sending someone to meet me when work unexpectedly delayed my departure. I've been looking forward to seeing your beautiful country."

"It is our pleasure to have you here," Ziva replied, her eyes telegraphing that the pleasure was all hers. "Come - we will get you through customs and you will be joining your fellow tourists in Haifa in time for dinner."

With a light hand under her elbow that caused shivers to run up Jenny's arm – _so much for getting a grip_ Jenny snorted inwardly_ – _Ziva led her to a separate desk with a very short line, rather than to one of the long lines for the regular customs agents. Ziva had obviously cleared things with this agent earlier, as she introduced the American as the tourist she'd told him about who was here to join up with her group. Jenny did not miss the brief meaningful glance that passed between Ziva and the customs agent and in no time her passport had been stamped.

"Welcome to Israel, Ms. Shepard," the man whose name tag read Benyamin intoned. "We hope you enjoy your stay."

"Thank you," Jen responded with a smile. "I'm sure I will." _Especially if Ziva David is part of the package_ she admitted dryly to herself.

As the two women walked out of the airport, the intense heat hit Jenny like a brick wall.

"Is it always this hot in Israel in August?" she asked her companion, immediately removing the light jacket she'd worn on the plane. Ziva slipped her shades back over her eyes, while Jenny dug in her purse for hers.

"No," Ziva answered evenly. "Sometimes it is hotter." The twinkle in her eyes as she tipped her sunglasses down to look at Jenny brought a captivating grin to the American's lips that the Mossad officer promptly decided she would never tire of seeing.

The two women climbed into a small dark car. Jenny had only traveled with a carry-on suitcase and Ziva quickly stowed it in the trunk. As they drove, the Israeli asked casual questions about the flight in between periods of not uncomfortable quiet and gave her passenger some general information about where they were going.

For her part, Jenny was silently trying to decide which she found more terrifying: Ziva's driving style or the driving of those around them. More than once her heart leapt into her throat, but they soon safely reached a non-descript house in a quiet residential section of South Tel Aviv where they would meet up with other members of Ziva's team. A quick look around showed there to be a great deal of diversity in this neighborhood and just enough activity for their arrival at this home to seem typical and uneventful.

The next three days were spent finalizing the details of the op. Jen's cover was a lesson in hiding in plain sight. She would be assigned as the NCIS officer on a Navy ship - the ship on which all signs suggested the American traitor was a crew member. Ostensibly, she was there to conduct an investigation into possible drug trafficking while the crew was participating in the military exercise with Egypt. The premise the ship's commander had been given was that SecNav wanted to evaluate the crew's ability to stay focused on the job at hand rather than be distracted by such an internal investigation, but the crew was unaware that her presence was part of the training exercise, of course.

That position, and the fact that it had been leaked among the crew that an NCIS agent was coming aboard to conduct an investigation about some possible illegal drug activity, meant that she would have fairly free rein to be in various places and to ask pointed questions without giving away her true mission.

Ziva, on the other hand, would be like a ghost – if all went well, no one but Jen would even know she'd been there. She would be in contact with her own sources of information close to the ground in Cairo and the surrounding area, and would use various disguises to blend in to her surroundings, including that of an American sailor.

SecNav had arranged for this ship to be docked for a good deal of the exercise for supposed repairs from damage sustained on the first day of the training simulation. That would make it easier for Jenny and Ziva to devise opportunities to share information.

Before they knew it, they were in Cairo. The two women met or crossed paths every day in some way, shape or form. The first time Ziva was waiting for Jen in her cabin on the ship, simply materializing out of the shadows after Jen had locked the door behind her, the American had nearly shot her. After that, they developed a signal so Jenny would not be surprised.

A couple of times Ziva slept on the floor in Jen's room for the night, though she was always gone before the American awoke. Jenny had difficulty sleeping those nights, being so aware of the attractive woman who was near enough to touch, yet knowing now was not the time…and that there might not ever be a time.

Little did she know that Ziva was experiencing the same problem – she was just better at lying completely still through it.

Their instant attraction still fairly hummed between them, but nothing happened during the mission other than a few lingering, heated looks and occasional touches that appeared casual, but felt anything but. Still, without some overt sign, Jenny found herself doubting that the intense feelings that had blindsided her were returned.

However, no matter what the feelings on either side were, both Ziva and Jenny were too professional to do anything other than give their primary focus to the job at hand.

After two and a half weeks, their mission was completed successfully, though not uneventfully. As Jen aimed her Sig at the Navy informant in the bowel of the ship and prepared to arrest him, one of his Hezbollah contacts pressed a gun to the back of her head.

"Stupid Americans," he said derisively. "Sending a woman to do a man's job … and you should not have come alone."

"She did not," came a deadly calm voice to his left.

He automatically whipped his head toward the source of those words. Within seconds, he was dead on the floor after a silent shot from Ziva hit him squarely in the middle of his forehead.

"You know," Jen said almost dispassionately while her gaze remained fixed on her suspect, "in my country we would have arrested him, too."

"At times, we do things a little differently here," Ziva answered matter-of-factly, moving to train her gun on the American suspect while Jenny put him in handcuffs. Then her voice took on a lethal edge even as it dropped an octave. "His biggest mistake was putting his weapon to your head."

Jenny risked a glance at Ziva's face, her breath stolen by the possessiveness that flared in the Israeli's eyes, only to be doused so quickly that Jen wondered if she'd imagined the passionate look.

Things wrapped up quickly from there. The sailor was formally arrested and returned to the States for further questioning and prosecution. Ziva was joined by the rest of her team and they took care of rounding up and interrogating the rest of the terrorist cell that had been uncovered during the mission.

The two women and the rest of the group returned to the safe house in Tel Aviv. Over the next couple of days, everyone was debriefed, details were wrapped up and information that could provide new leads for others in the counterterrorism field was properly disseminated. Fairly exhausted, yet agitated every time she thought about leaving without exploring these feelings that sizzled between her and Ziva, Jen retrieved her suitcase from a locked closet at the safe house and prepared to go to a hotel near the airport for the night. She had a reservation on a flight back to the States late the next afternoon.

For the first time in her life, however, her heart wasn't in returning home.

_To be continued ..._


	2. Caught in the Flames

Ziva offered to drive Jenny to her hotel and the red-head accepted with a grateful smile. A part of her had so been hoping to get to know this intriguing, beautiful woman on a very personal – one could even say intimate - level, but perhaps it wasn't meant to be. At least she could absorb her company for a little longer.

Both women were quiet as Ziva drove them through the streets of Tel Aviv to the hotel. Jenny was too preoccupied to be terrified this time. The Israeli couldn't tell what was on her companion's mind, but she hoped to hell it was the same thing that was on hers.

When Ziva pulled up in front of the building, Jenny turned to her and grabbed for her courage with both hands.

"Would you like to come in?" she asked softly, her green eyes almost shyly telegraphing hope and nerves.

Ziva accepted with a smile that spoke volumes and parked the car. The look in her eyes had the butterflies in Jenny's stomach doing back flips.

Jenny checked in with minimal fuss. The two women rode silently in the elevator, though Ziva stood very close to the red-head. As they walked down the hall and stood at Jenny's door, Ziva managed to stand even closer, her body heat radiating out to Jenny, sending those butterflies into a frenzy.

Jenny's fingers were trembling uncharacteristically and she even dropped the key card as she was trying to insert it into the slot to unlock the door. Ziva deftly caught it with her quick reflexes.

Leaning into Jenny from behind as she held the card out for the other woman to take, Ziva allowed her left hand to rest low on Jenny's hip, tantalizingly close to her ass.

"If you do not get that door open soon, I am going to kiss you right here in this hallway," Ziva whispered sensually into Jenny's ear.

Jenny made a sound in her throat and pressed back against the Israeli as her stomach felt like it did a complete flip-flop. God, she couldn't remember when she'd been this attracted to someone. Had she ever been? She closed her eyes and tried to get a grip on her nerves and her galloping heart rate.

When she didn't make an immediate move to take the card back, Ziva took care of unlocking the door herself. Jenny did manage to open the door and they entered her room. Before she could take a breath, the red-head found herself crowded up against the door that had just closed and Ziva was kissing her brainless.

Jenny let her bags drop to the floor and wrapped her arms around Ziva's neck without hesitation. Her fingers speared into the thick, dark curls that she'd been itching to touch for three weeks. Their first kiss was long and deep and heated, and unlike anything either woman had ever experienced.

At long last, they came up for air. Ziva rested her forehead against Jen's.

"I knew it would be like that," Ziva breathed.

"Me, too," Jenny murmured. "More." With that, she pulled the dark-haired woman's mouth to hers again for another kiss that was slower, but no less passionate.

"Will you have dinner with me tonight?" Ziva asked, pressing kisses along Jenny's jaw and down her neck. Jenny angled her head in silent invitation for the other woman to continue exactly what she was doing.

"Yes," she answered, her arms still wrapped around the Israeli's neck.

"We can go out," Ziva suggested, "or I can cook for you." Her lips were still exploring Jenny's pale skin.

"You cook, too? A woman of many talents," Jen teased her in a sexy voice.

"You have not seen anything yet," Ziva answered in a suggestive tone, her mouth still occupied.

"Promises, promises," Jenny grinned – until Ziva kissed it right off her face.

When she let her up for air, Jenny leaned her head back against the door and looked into Ziva's brown eyes. Mmmm…hair that made her think of dark chocolate and eyes that reminded her of the bourbon she liked to drink. Two of her favorite things. How was she supposed to resist?

"Honestly, I would rather be alone with you," Jenny confessed in a husky tone.

"So, I will cook, yes?" Ziva confirmed.

Jen nodded. "I would like that very much."

Ziva cupped Jenny's jaw gently in one hand.

"Will you bring your things and stay with me tonight?" the Israeli asked softly, holding Jen's gaze with her own. "Or is that moving too fast for you?"

"In some ways, it feels fast," Jenny acknowledged, "and in other ways, this has been the longest three weeks of my life." A wry smile curved her lips, drawing an answering one from the other woman. "I couldn't always tell if you could feel this between us … but now and then I would catch a glimpse that would keep me hoping."

"I feel it," Ziva whispered, unfastening the barrette that held Jenny's long auburn hair back so she could bury her hands in the heavy weight of it. "The moment I laid eyes on your picture, I found you attractive, but that was nothing compared to what I felt when I saw you in person...like someone had kicked me in the gut." She grinned teasingly and added, "But in a good way."

"I know the feeling," Jen answered almost breathlessly. Her eyes darkened with desire. "Yes, I want to stay with you tonight."

Ziva's smile widened. This time their kiss stayed soft and warm and full of hints and promises.

"I should go so I can be ready for you," Ziva said reluctantly as their lips parted. "I will come back to pick you up."

"That's silly – you'll be cooking. I'll arrange a cab," Jenny disagreed.

Ziva started to protest, but Jenny was insistent. She even pointed out that she would be carrying her weapon and could take care of herself.

"I know," Ziva said quietly, "but you are in unfamiliar territory and I want you to be safe." She magnanimously refrained from pointing out that she'd already saved Jenny's ass once recently.

Ziva walked over to the nightstand and wrote quickly on the notepad lying there. She brought the paper back to Jen. There were words written in both English and Hebrew.

"My cousin Gideon has a cab company. This is the name of it. Will you allow me to make arrangements with him to pick you up?" she asked. Jenny nodded, warmed by the offer. "I wrote the address here, too, but he knows where I live." Jenny took the information from her.

After a few more lingering kisses, Ziva left. They'd made plans for Jenny to arrive by seven. As soon as the other woman had left, Jen took a long soak in the tub and daydreamed about the night ahead - and tried to figure out what she had with her to wear for the occasion.

She eventually decided on a sleeveless fitted white blouse matched with soft black pants. White shirt or no, she was going to wear black undergarments because they were the sexiest she had with her. Besides, if a hint of black showed tantalizingly through the white blouse depending on how she moved…well. All the better. She relaxed for a while, then stood and washed her hair under the shower. She got herself ready, paying careful attention to her appearance, and packed everything in her bag. She went down to the lobby to check out of her room and wait for her cab. If the desk staff was surprised that she was checking out before the night had even really begun, they kept their observations to themselves.

Ziva's cousin himself showed up to drive her. On the way to Ziva's apartment, he chatted freely and pointed out spots of interest. Jenny talked him into stopping at a market where fresh flowers and fruit were displayed out front. She selected two red roses and went inside to also grab a bottle of wine.

When they arrived at the two-story building that housed Ziva's apartment, Jenny learned that her fare had already been taken care of. Gideon offered to assist her with her things, but Jenny assured him she could carry everything. He waited while she pushed the intercom for the security door so Ziva could buzz her in.

"Shalom." That accented voice coming over the speaker sent Jenny's pulse racing faster. She returned the greeting.

"Come on up," Ziva directed her, reminding her of the apartment number on the second floor. As Jenny walked through the outer security door, Gideon waved and tooted his car horn in farewell as he pulled away from the curb.

Ziva opened her apartment door as Jenny drew near, each smiling her pleasure at seeing the other.

Jen handed Ziva the roses as she walked through the door. "For you."

"_Todah_," she said, unable to resist raising the fragrant flowers to her nose.

_Beautiful_ thought Jen, mesmerized by the sight of this gorgeous woman with the red roses raised to her face. She barely managed to murmur, "You're welcome."

Jenny placed her bag on the floor near the door and the bottle of wine on a nearby table. Ziva laid the flowers near the wine and took Jenny's hands in hers to tug her in for a slow, stomach-dropping kiss.

"Hi," she murmured, as she pulled back.

"Hi yourself," Jenny returned, her voice husky with emotion. She brushed her nose against Ziva's, then nuzzled the dark-haired woman's neck.

"Mmmm…" escaped Ziva's throat before Jenny lifted her head.

Taking a deep breath to slow down her heart rate, Ziva took Jenny's hand in one of hers and picked up the roses with the other. Jenny brought along the wine. As they walked the short distance into the kitchen, Ziva told her she hadn't needed to bring anything, but both gifts were appreciated.

They opened the wine and Ziva checked on dinner.

"Smells delicious," Jenny complimented her.

"Thank you," Ziva responded as she arranged the two roses in a narrow vase and placed it on the table which had already been set for two.

"What can I do?" Jenny asked.

"Everything is ready," Ziva reported. "You could take the wine to the table while I bring out the dishes."

The food tasted as good as it smelled and Ziva's eyes lit with pleasure at Jenny's compliment. The two women enjoyed each other's company and the conversation flowed easily as each learned more about the other. The sizzle of attraction that flared now and then only added to the excitement of the evening. At some point, Ziva reached over and played with Jen's fingers where they lay on the table. There went Jenny's butterflies again.

"Would you like dessert now or later?" the Israeli asked as she began clearing their plates after they'd finished eating.

Jen gave an appreciative look at Ziva's backside as she followed her into the kitchen. "Depends on what's on the menu," she muttered under her breath.

She started when Ziva turned toward her and answered, "Well, I made chocolate mint cake," she drawled, leaning back against the cabinets with her arms braced on either side along the counter's edge. "Unless you see something else you want?" Her eyebrows were raised coquettishly and she had a sexy glint in her eye.

Jen recovered from her surprise quickly. She ambled slowly over to stand in front of the dark-haired woman, her hips rolling attractively, drawing a brown-eyed gaze.

"As a matter of fact, I do have a taste for something," Jen admitted, her gaze fixed on Ziva's lips.

"And what would that be?" was Ziva's flirtatious response.

Jen took one more step into the other woman, bringing their bodies close enough to brush tantalizingly.

"You."

She bent her head to that luscious mouth and they tasted each other deeply again. Soon their arms were locked around one another, hands roaming and tangling into hair. With one more small step, Jen pushed her body flush against Ziva's, trapping the other woman between her own fuller curves and the counter. They both moaned at the contact.

When they came up for air, Ziva murmured against Jen's neck, "Couch?"

"Excellent idea," Jen practically moaned. Ziva's smile was lovely, full of secrets and promises and anticipation. Jenny couldn't stop looking at her.

Ziva pulled Jenny by the hand to the sofa, snagging their wine glasses in her other hand on the way. After they sat down, she handed Jen her glass and took a drink of her own. Then, looking deeply into Jenny's green eyes, Ziva put both their glasses deliberately on the low table in front of the couch and leaned in to take Jenny's mouth again in a series of kisses that quickly flared into hot and hungry and needy.

Their tongues explored each other's mouths thoroughly and their hands began to wander in earnest. Ziva luxuriated in the feel of the smooth, silky skin of Jen's arms revealed by her sleeveless blouse. Time seemed to rush quickly and stand still all at the same time.

Ziva tugged at Jenny until the American was sitting astride her. She slid a hand up from Jen's trim waist, stopping at just under her full breasts.

"May I?" she murmured, requesting permission to touch the other woman more intimately.

In answer, Jenny covered Ziva's hand with her own and placed the dark-haired woman's hand on her breast, pushing it tightly against the aching mound.

"Mmmm…" Ziva hummed with pleasure. "You feel incredible."

"It feels amazing when you touch me," Jenny whispered the admission. "I want to touch you back."

Ziva took Jenny's hand and placed it on her own breast, making a noise low in her throat at the contact. "Like that?" she panted.

"God, yes…and more…" Jenny leaned down and captured Ziva's lips again as her other hand came up to join the first in learning Ziva's lovely curves. By this point, they were both completely oblivious to anything but the feelings they aroused in each other, physically and emotionally.

Ziva's hands moved to Jen's shirt buttons, then paused. Drawing back just enough to look into eyes that had turned emerald with desire, she asked," May I?"

Jenny smiled a siren's smile of anticipation and responded softly with, "Yes."

Ziva slowly unbuttoned Jenny's top, watching intently as more of her tempting flesh appeared bit by bit. When she'd unfastened the last button, her hands slipped inside the shirt, slowing rising up so that the blouse parted even further to reveal Jenny's full, stunning breasts encased in a black satin bra.

"So beautiful," Ziva whispered in an awed tone, her fingers barely brushing the satin fabric, which was somehow more arousing than if she'd pressed more firmly.

"Glad you think so," Jenny all but purred, her hands busy slipping under the layers of Ziva's top to explore her toned, slim abdomen, working her way higher and higher.

Ziva leaned forward to kiss those lovely breasts, as though drawn by a force she couldn't refuse. Her tongue unconsciously flicked out to wet her lips in her eagerness.

With Herculean effort, she stopped herself just before her lips met the alluring flesh in front of her. Once again she asked, "May I?"

Jenny cocked an eyebrow in sexy disbelief. She put a hand under Ziva's chin and lifted the whiskey-brown eyes to her own.

"Are you going to keep asking permission each step along the way?" the American asked somewhat humorously, though not callously.

"It is just that I do not want to do anything you do not want me to do," Ziva explained, both completely serious and sweetly earnest. "We have spent much of the last three weeks together, but this is the first time we have given in to the attraction between us. I know what I want – you – but I do not want to push you faster than you want to go."

Jenny's other hand came up so that she could fully cup Ziva's face, her long fingers spearing into Ziva's dark locks. There was not a hint of hesitation in her voice or in her green eyes as she responded.

"What I want," she began in a seductive drawl, "is for you to strip me naked and touch and kiss and lick me all over." As she spoke, she demonstrated each request with her own hands, her own lips, her own tongue. "And I want to do exactly the same thing to you."

Ziva's nearly-silent gasp of pleasure was extremely satisfying to the woman on her lap.

"Does that clarify matters for you?" Jenny finished in a sultry tone. The heat in her eyes as she stared into Ziva's threatened to rage into an inferno at any moment.

A slow, wicked grin curved Ziva's luscious lips. "Yes, I believe it does." To demonstrate, she wrapped a hand around the back of Jenny's neck and pulled her down for a hungry kiss.

The passion between them quickly flared out of control and Ziva slid her lips over Jenny's jaw and down her neck. She kissed her way softly along the upper curve of Jenny's breasts that spilled over the black satin cups encasing them. Ziva's tongue dipped into Jen's cleavage along the way to the other side, then made a return trip across the sexy mounds, the very tip of her tongue tracing the edge of the bra. Her mouth then slid over the black satin, teasing, licking, sucking…

The Israeli's tongue, teeth and lips worked a magic that was new to Jenny and drove her wild. When Ziva pulled one side of the bra down to trace a puckered nipple and suckle the lovely pink tip into her mouth, Jen thought she might climax right then and divulged as much out loud.

"Go ahead," Ziva ordered huskily, her mouth still against the soft, tempting flesh. "I want to hear you come."

"But I want you to come, too," Jenny protested, almost whimpering. "And you are not even undressed at all yet - !"

Ziva reluctantly pulled her mouth from Jenny's breast and looked up at her, wicked humor glinting in her eyes. Jenny moaned as the air hit her sensitive flesh that had been made moist by Ziva's mouth – and at the loss of contact.

Ziva lifted a brow roguishly. "And whose fault is that?"

"Yours," Jen promptly replied decisively. "If you hadn't already turned my brain to mush, I might have done something about that."

Ziva's gorgeous brown eyes laughed up at her. "It is not too late," she pointed out provocatively.

Jenny's lips curved with pleasure and she pulled Ziva's soft, clinging maroon top off to reveal the simple black silky camisole that was all she had on underneath. Jenny's breath caught as her hands smoothed sensuously over the material. Ziva's eyes closed and her head fell back against the couch with a sound of gratification.

First, Jenny slid the spaghetti straps off Ziva's shoulders to smooth her hands over the soft-as-silk skin that covered strong muscles. Then, deciding she wanted the camisole out of the way altogether, Jenny grasped the hem of the undergarment and tugged it over Ziva's head, the Israeli's arms lifting to assist.

Jenny's breath caught audibly in her throat, as she laid her eyes on Ziva's small but weighty curves for the first time.

Her hands came up of their own volition, caressing, molding the soft flesh tipped by dark brown nipples that beaded even further under her attention.

"You are stunningly lovely," she whispered, her eyes absorbing what her hands were savoring. "And I love the feel of you."

Ziva moaned and pushed her breasts more fully against the red-head's hands. Her eyes opened to feast on Jenny's breasts once more, one hand coming up to caress them while the other squeezed her hip.

Jenny bent her head to tease Ziva's lips with a tongue that snaked out to find her. Ziva opened her mouth and welcomed Jenny inside so that wicked pink tongue could tangle with her own. The kiss deepened even further, became hungrier, as their bodies pressed closely together from lips to thighs.

When they came up for some much-needed air, Ziva's mouth returned to Jenny's breasts, murmuring in her native tongue. Jenny could not translate all the words, but the admiration in her tone was unmistakable. When Ziva pulled the other bra cup down so that both breasts were naked to her eyes, her mouth, her hands, Jenny gave a small cry. Surely this was the definition of pure bliss.

Jenny's hips began rhythmically pushing against Ziva's body as the dark-haired beauty continued her tender yet hungry assault on Jen's breasts. Reaching around, Ziva unfastened the strap in the back that held the bra closed. Pulling back just a little, she pushed Jenny's white blouse down and off her shoulders and allowed it to drift unhurriedly to the floor. She then slowly slid the loosened bra straps down Jenny's arms. It was difficult to say who was more affected by the delightful torture of the leisurely pace.

When Jenny was fully bared before her, Ziva could only stare in wonder. "You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen," she husked, her hands lifting to cup the heavy globes, relishing the weight of them. She realized she'd already used that word once, but her brain simply couldn't function well enough to come up with a better one at the moment. Besides, it was the truth.

Jenny made a keening sound at the force of arousal moving through her. Almost unconsciously, she thrust a breast toward Ziva's mouth, wanting to feel the other woman's lips and tongue on her again. Thankfully, her lover immediately took her up on the silent invitation.

"I love when you do that," Jenny gasped in a strangled voice, her hands burying themselves in Ziva's hair, delighting in the feel of it as she held the other woman's mouth to her.

"Good," Ziva murmured against her skin, kissing her way over to give equal attention to Jenny's other breast. "That makes two of us." Then she had no breath for talking as she filled her mouth with Jenny's generous breast and suckled deeply.

Ziva opened her eyes and looked up to find Jenny's eyes closed and her face wracked with the intensity of passion cascading through her. Slowly, she unfastened Jenny's pants and delved inside. Jenny rested her head on the top of Ziva's with a mew of approval as the Israeli's fingers encountered black silk panties that were soaked with the proof of Jenny's desire.

Then Ziva's hand slipped under the silk waistband and she moaned as she encountered Jenny's moist, warm center for the first time.

"And _that_ is beyond incredible," Ziva whispered raggedly.

She watched Jenny as she slid a finger inside her most secret place. Ziva was rewarded with a look of ecstasy on the red-haired woman's face as she threw back her head and gasped out her pleasure. Her gorgeous hair flowed like a flame-colored silk curtain down her back.

"This is for me," Ziva whispered intensely, sliding a second finger into the other woman's slick heat. "You want me."

"God, yes," Jen ground out. Her hips were pumping against Ziva's fingers, her climax building.

"Come for me – like this," Ziva directed breathlessly, her fingers continuing to urge her lover toward a release that was beyond Jenny's experience. The dark-haired woman bent her head and took a hard pink nipple into her mouth, suckling fiercely, which was all that was needed to push Jenny over the edge with a blissful cry.

Ziva's fingers continued to move as the red-head's body shuddered. Finally, Jen collapsed against Ziva breathing fast and hard, draping herself around the woman underneath her, pulling her close.

"Wow," she managed. Barely.

"Wow, indeed," Ziva agreed with a sexy smile as she slowly pulled her fingers from between Jenny's legs, loving the mewing sounds of protest the red-head made as she did. Ziva brought her fingers to her mouth to lick them clean, reveling in her first taste of the very essence of Jenny. Her eyes darkened with a desire that only intensified as Jenny bent her head and her tongue joined Ziva's in licking her fingers.

After a while, they moved into the bedroom and made love and talked and made love some more and held each other until the sun was just starting to break the horizon.

For both women it was a life-changing night which left them feeling euphoric yet uncertain, nearly in equal measure.

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><p><em>AN: One more chapter to complete this story, which will be posted soon. THANKS for reading and reviews are really, really, REALLY appreciated! =)_


	3. Dazzled by the Fire

_A/N: This chapter closes out this story and is dedicated to Mrs. Elizabeth Gibbs, a wonderfully supportive reader, reviewer and friend - even to the point of wrapping her head around a couple of pairings that weren't in her typical favs. =)_ _Gracias, amiga! A sincere thanks also goes out to gosgirl for prompting my muse with the word "plane" when I was listening for the ending and to all of you who have read, reviewed, "favorited" and/or "alerted" this story; it really is greatly appreciated. Enjoy!_

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><p>The two women lay together after they'd shared a third orgasm. Jenny was stretched out on her stomach nearly boneless and Ziva was half-lying against, half-rising over her, one hand tracing down Jenny's spine. Bending her head, she pressed her mouth to Jen's shoulder blade and the red-head smiled with contentment.<p>

"Do not leave. Stay," Ziva whispered against the pale, beautiful skin under her lips. There was a slight pause and then she husked, "Please."

Jenny went completely still. She wanted nothing more than to stay – in fact, she was frighteningly certain that she wanted to stay with this woman forever. But how could she? If nothing else, NCIS was expecting her back at her job. Tomorrow. Well, technically, later today.

Ziva pulled back, eyelids dropping to hide the hurt she felt when the woman beneath her didn't immediately respond.

Jen turned so their bodies were facing each other and she caught the dark-haired woman close before she could physically retreat any further. "Look at me, Ziva."

After a moment, the Israeli did as she'd been gently but firmly commanded, though her eyes were guarded in a way they had not yet been with Jenny. In contrast, her lover's green eyes were awash with all the new-found emotion she felt for the remarkable woman in her arms.

"What we have feels like a gift that I thought I would never receive," Jenny began quietly, her words ringing with sincerity. "My first thought is that I want to stay here with you more than anything and find out if this is really as much about forever as it feels like it is. My second thought is 'What the hell am I supposed to do about my job?'"

Jenny smiled gently and caressed Ziva's cheek with one hand. The Israeli turned her head and kissed Jenny's palm. Her expression began to relax and she laid her head on Jenny's chest. She heaved a deep sigh that spoke volumes.

"Let's sleep on it for a while," Jenny suggested. "We'll figure something out." With that, she tugged Ziva's mouth up to hers for a slow, soul-searching, healing kiss, then Ziva settled her head back down on Jenny's chest and they drifted off to sleep.

A few hours later, Ziva awoke to an empty bed and the sound of a voice in the living room. She slipped on a silky robe and silently left the bedroom. She stopped just shy of entering the other room from the hall as she heard Jenny's voice say, "Thanks, Tom. Don't worry; I'll have the report to you from this mission ASAP. And thanks again for approving the month of leave."

With those words, Ziva's heart soared and starting beating double time. She padded quietly up behind her lover, who was pacing around in her panties and white shirt from last night with one button holding it closed. Ziva slid her arms around the other woman's waist and began kissing her neck. Jenny gasped not-quite-silently and Ziva grinned.

"What am I going to do?" Jenny asked distractedly into the phone. "Oh, you know, explore the country, enjoy the sights. Israel is a beautiful country … I've never experienced anything quite like it." She tilted her neck to give the other woman better access. "What? Oh, sorry, sir, I have to go …"

"You mean 'come,' do you not?" Ziva breathed wickedly into her ear, her voice almost soundless.

Jen bit back a moan and hung up her phone without even saying goodbye. Ziva immediately turned the other woman around in her arms and took her mouth in a heated kiss infused with all the elation she was feeling.

"You are staying," she murmured as soon as she let Jenny up for air, noting with intense satisfaction that the other woman's eyes were unfocused with desire. "You are staying!"

With the arms that were still locked around Jenny's waist, the Israeli lifted Jen's feet off the ground and she spun them both around in a circle. Her joy was contagious and they both laughed in delight.

As they came to a stop, Ziva allowed Jenny to slide slowly down her body until her feet reached the floor. Brown eyes gazed into green, somehow managing to question and answer simultaneously.

"I have an obscene amount of leave time accumulated. It occurred to me that I could use some of it," Jenny explained. Her gaze was searching as she continued to focus on Ziva's sparkling eyes. "If you really want me to, that is."

There was a hint of vulnerability in her voice that made Ziva rush to reassure her. "I want you to."

Jenny's bright smile rivaled the late morning sun shining in through the windows. "That's good to hear. Very, very good." She pressed a kiss to Ziva's lips. "So. We have a month for now and we'll see where we go from there. Does that work for you?"

"It works perfectly for me." Ziva cupped Jenny's face and leaned her forehead against the red-head's. Her whisper was full of feeling as she intoned, "Thank you."

Then, she couldn't resist kissing the American woman again.

"And now," she mumbled against Jen's lips as she began walking her backwards, "I think we should go back to bed. Does that work for you?"

"Most definitely," Jenny assented, grinning widely against Ziva's lips.

Ziva gently pushed Jenny back onto the bed and they divested each other of their clothing once more. And for a very long while, the only sounds that could be heard coming from that room were mews and gasps of pleasure and warm whispers of affection.

ZJZJZJZJZJZJZJ

_One month later…_

Jenny Shepard buckled her seatbelt in preparation for takeoff. She didn't want to leave Israel, but she had to – at least for now. She was already missing Ziva and the plane hadn't even left the ground.

She raised her left hand to the Star of David pendant at her throat. Her lips couldn't help but curve as she thought back to last night.

_Ziva came up behind Jenny as the red-head was putting the last of her things in her luggage, except for what she would need tomorrow. She was borrowing a larger suitcase from Ziva for the trip home, as she'd had to buy some more clothes and things when she'd extended her stay for another month. But what a month it had been … Jenny could honestly say she'd never felt happier._

_Ziva rested her chin on Jen's shoulder and heaved a heavy sigh._

"_I do not want you to leave," she mumbled._

_Jenny leaned back against her and wrapped her arms over Ziva's._

"_I don't want to," she responded. "The only thing holding me together is that we've already bought your ticket for you to come visit me in two weeks."_

"_Are you sure you will not forget about me in the next two weeks?" Ziva asked, aiming for teasing, but not quite managing to hide the need for some reassurance beneath the question._

_Jen turned in her lover's arms and cupped Ziva's face in her hands._

"_I'm sure," she whispered. The depth of emotion shining in her eyes provided some comfort to her lover._

"_Are you positive you won't decide it's not worth the effort to maintain a relationship with a girlfriend who lives an ocean away?" Jenny asked her._

"_You are worth any amount of effort required," Ziva swore in a voice husky with emotion._

_The kiss they shared was warm and soft and full of promises._

_When they pulled apart, Ziva lifted her hands to the back of her neck and unfastened the chain holding the Star of David that had been her constant companion since her parents had given it to her years ago._

"_Here," she husked, fastening the necklace around Jenny's throat._

"_Ziva, I can't –" Jenny started to protest, though her fingers grasped the pendant protectively as though she was afraid that Ziva might actually try to take it back._

"_Does it make you uncomfortable to wear it because you are not Jewish?" the Israeli asked quietly._

"_No!" Jenny quickly assured her. "It's just that I know it's important to you … and that you touch it when you're thinking or worried."_

"_You are important to me, too," Ziva told her, looking directly into Jenny's bright green eyes. "And every time I reach for it, I will think of you … and every time you see it in the mirror or feel it, you will think of me."_

"_I'll be thinking of you, anyway," Jenny whispered, raising her other hand to caress Ziva's beautiful face, "but this will stay exactly where it is until you take it back."_

"_Who says I will be taking it back?" Ziva murmured with a meaningful smile, pulling Jenny in for a long, deep kiss._

They'd stayed awake all night making love and talking. Sleep was unimportant compared to making more memories to hold them over until they were together again.

They hadn't figured everything out about how to live a relationship while on two different continents, but one thing was for certain: this wasn't goodbye.

Still smiling and holding onto Ziva's necklace as though it were a lifeline, Jenny closed her eyes and began dreaming of two weeks from now … and beyond.

_The End_


End file.
